Two triumphs for the light brigade

Press, 22 October 1980, Page 16

Two triumphs for the light brigade

CONTRACT BRIDGE

J. R. Wignall

Napoleon or Plato or possibly Shakespeare once said something like “Twice armed is he whose quarrel is just, but thrice armed he who gets his blow in first.”

This is sound advice for bridge-players, particularly legarding the opening bid. Two members of what we may call the light brigade illustrated the point rather well on this deal from a duplicate evening: N.

Let us first look briefly at the events at another table. The dealer, North, passed. East passed and South considered his mere 10 points. He decided he was not strong enough to open the bidding but would come into the auction on the next round.

Unfortunately for him “there wasn’t going to beno next round” "as Huckleberry Finn would have sard, for West meanly declined to open the bidding and the hand -was thrown in. ’ .

With the light brigade in action, things were very different: W. N. E. S. — No No 1A 2 A 2Nt No. 3A No 4A All Pass South’s opening bid in third position was reasonable enough for the true value of the hand was rather more than 10 points. Apart from the fact that most players are prepared to open a little light in third position for the purpose of indicating a lead to partner, the distribution of the hand is good and the high cards head the long suits. ' r

Over • the one spade opener. West naturally called two clubs and North made a slight overbid of two no-trumps, South could not stand this and tried three diamonds, at which point No’rth revalued his hand. He had a good fit in both his partner’s suits and first round control in his ‘ opponents’. Perhaps a trifle optimistically, but quite correctly as it turned out, he jumped to four spades. The play was as good-as the bidding. The’king bf clubs opening lead was taken by the ace and a club was ruffed in hand? The ace and king of diamonds were made and a diamond ruffed in dummy. Another club was trumped by the seven of spades.

after which the declarer ruffed his remaining diamond with the spade queen.

That was seven tricks, and - South made three more by leading dummy’s last , club and putting his ten of spades on it, then making his ace and king of trumps. There is another side to light openers besides the reaching of thin game contracts. It is simply that it is often safer to put a bid in before the opponents are aware of their combined

South,, «a believer in sound .opening bids,?passed as dealer, but came in Jon the second; round, He struck West with the ideal hand to double and the defenders . took i three i tricks in spades; two in hearts, three in -diamonds ahd one in clubs for’ a penalty'of '> 700. / . ‘ ‘

North, .although impressed by his partner’s devotion to sound principles, could only point out that it must be safer, to bid at the one level than the two level. If South in fact opens it is most unlikely he will be penalised for the opponents, are fatmore likely to bid their three no-trump contract. Provided the suit is reasonable and the hand contains a couple of defensive tricks in case partner doubles an enemy contract, light openers seldom come to much harm.